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Spicer’s last official day is today as probate court judge
ASHLEY C. HEENEY
Legal News Reporter
Published: July 29, 2011
Judge R. R. Denny Clunk (retired from Stark County Probate Court) is presiding over proceedings in the Summit County Probate Court due to the retirement of Judge Bill Spicer, whose last official day of work is today. Spicer is the longest serving judge in Summit County.
Probate Court Judge Bill Spicer, 69, announced his retirement earlier in the month after 31 years in the court. His tenure also makes him the longest judge to serve the probate court.
“I enjoy serving, it’s the reason I stayed on the bench,” Spicer said. “It’s been a good experience, a very positive experience.”
Spicer was elected judge in 1980 and ran for the seat as a Republican eight times, of which four times he was contested. The last time was in 2008 when won election to a six-year term, but because of his age, he would be ineligible to run in 2014.
Before his first election to probate court, he ran for county commissioner (but lost) and then served a year and a half as Akron Municipal Court judge and also spent several years as a prosecutor in the U.S. Attorney’s Office, in the City of Akron’s law department, and the city prosecutor’s office.
“I was 36 years old on the muni bench,” he said. “I was one of youngest in county. Now, I’m one of the oldest.”
When he took over probate court at 38, the young judge faced an environment that he said wasn’t particularly good.
“(Judge James) Barbuto just came in [but was arrested shortly after for trading sexual favors with female defendants for leniency] and I had to boost morale.”
Spicer went on to lead an award-winning court and received national attention for various cases.
His court was the first in the state and one of the first in the country to make new decisions on life support.
He also led efforts, during his role as president of the Ohio Association of Probate Judges, in getting Ohio’s guardianship law changed.
“Prior, all you had to do was bring a slip from a doctor and say a person needs a guardianship. We changed it to say a social worker needs to go out and interview the prospective ward and make sure they need a guardianship, and the ward is now required to file a report every year.
“One of things we emphasized is the probate judge can have open court or closed. In closed, we filed and would do nothing with them. I don’t believe in that,” he said. “If someone comes in I believe we should help them.
“It’s been a challenge. I wasn’t overly enamored but I did take it, I found it an experience that’s been interesting—and challenging,” Spicer said, adding that it’s given him the opportunity to preside over a wide range of cases, from a farmer getting feed for his livestock killed by dogs to life and death cases. I have found it to be enjoyable,” he said.
Spicer, one of four brothers, said one of his goals in retirement is to complete a history of his family, one of the first to settle Akron.
“My great uncle was the justice of peace in Spicertown. My uncle was an attorney (his cousin and retired Common Pleas Judge Mary Spicer’s father). My grandfather (H.C. Spicer), was the first juvenile relations judge in the county.
Reasonably so, his interest in the judiciary started when he was a young child.
“When I was a kid and I found out my grandfather was a judge, I used to take the piano bench and play judge.”
He first served in the Army, including a year in Vietnam and when he returned he taught for two years in Akron Public Schools before attending The University of Akron School of Law on the GI bill and passed the Ohio Bar in 1972. He said his first experience in the courts was an internship he did with Common Pleas Judge Stephen Colopy.
One of Spicer’s fondest memories of the court is promoting morale among staff.
“For many years, we had a Christmas tree in the middle of the courthouse for employees, and their children would come.”
In his personal time, he enjoyed, and enjoys, traveling and has visited more than 60 countries. He was also previously active in Boy Scouts in the community.
In retirement, he plans to continue to travel, work on his family history project and his backyard model train project.
He said, whoever is appointed judge and wins election, he hopes with the help of his staff, that the court continues its tradition of service.
“We emphasize public service and we should help. I want the probate court to serve the public.”